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Pope Francis and New Cardinals visit Benedict XVI

Few can forget the images of the newly elected Pope Francis boarding the bus to return to his room with the Cardinals who had just elected him Pope.On June 28, 2018, Francis took another short road trip, this time by van, escorting the new cardinals just created in a call on Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

After the Consistory, there was the meeting at the monastery “Mater Ecclesiae,” where Benedict has been living, between Francis, the new cardinals and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. In the chapel, all together they recited the Ave Maria. After a brief greeting and the blessing of Pope Benedict, the 14 new cardinals returned to Paul VI Hall.

Pope Francis to New Cardinals: ‘But it shall not be so among you.’

Disciples must reject Quest of Honors, Jealousy, Envy, Intrigue, Accommodation, and Compromise“But it shall not be so among you.” Pope repeated the unusual sentence several times in his June 28, 2018, homily during the consistory in St. Peter’s Basilica, for the creation of 14 new cardinals.

His Excellency Luis Ladaria –Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

His Excellency Angelo De Donatis – Vicar General of Rome

His Excellency Giovanni Angelo Becciu – Substitute of the Secretary of State and Special Delegate for the Sovereign Military Order of Malta

His Excellency Konrad Krajewski – Almoner of the Office of Papal Charities

His Excellency Joseph Coutts – Archbishop of Karachi

His Excellency António dos Santos Marto – Bishop of Leiria-Fátima

His Excellency Pedro Barreto – Archbishop of Huancayo

His Excellency DesiréTsarahazana – Archbishop of Toamasina

His Excellency Giuseppe Petrocchi – Archbishop of L’Aquila

His Excellency Thomas Aquinas Manyo – Archbishop of Osaka

His Excellency Sergio Obeso Rivera – Emeritus Archbishop of Xalapa.

His Excellency ToribioTiconaPorco – Emeritus Bishop of Corocoro.

Reverend Father AquilinoBocos Merino – member of the Claretian order.

The words come from the 10th chapter of Mark’s gospel as Jesus and his disciples are on the road to Jerusalem and two of the disciples ask to sit at the Lord’s right and left hand. Jesus knows they are concerned about earthly things such as honor and status.The Holy Father looked at the new Cardinals and reminded them: “But it shall not be so among you.”

“The Lord’s response is above all an encouragement and a challenge to his disciples to recoup their better part, lest their hearts be spoiled and imprisoned by a worldly mentality blind to what is really important,” the Pope explained. “But it shall not be so among you. The voice of the Lord saves the community from undue introspection and directs its vision, resources, aspirations, and heart to the only thing that counts: the mission.”The Pope stressed that “the only credible form of authority is born of sitting at the feet of others in order to serve Christ. It is the authority that comes from never forgetting that Jesus, before bowing his head on the cross, did not hesitate to bow down and wash the feet of the disciples. This is the highest honor that we can receive, the greatest promotion that can be awarded us: to serve Christ in God’s faithful people.”

The Holy Father concluded with an admonition to the Cardinals to maintain humility and poverty, quoting the words of Saint Pope John XXIII:“Born poor, but of humble and respectable folk, I am particularly happy to die poor, having distributed, in accordance with the various needs and circumstances of my simple and modest life in the service of the poor and of Holy Church which has nurtured me, whatever came into my hands – and it was very little – during the years of my priesthood and episcopate.”